Easel



l '18 ff Z Feb. 27, 1940. s, DEARlNG 2,191,755

EASEL Filed April 6, 1938 Patented Feb. 27, 194()I PATENT erica v v y EASEL Stephen L. Bearing, Palmyra, Mo.

Application April 6, 1938, Serial No. 200,484. l

4 Claims.

y sign easel embodying a novel `mounting of prop leg which .is vautomatically locked in either of its collapsed or set-up positions. l

Itisalsoan object of the invention to provide a novel sign supporting panel so constructed as to accommodate and rigidly secure either .diamond `or square shaped signs.

It is a still further object to provide an easel which isof extreme simplicity in construction and operation, of light weight and readily set up or collapsed with a minimumof effort.

l Additional objects, advantages and features of inventionwillbe apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, f wherein Figurefl is a Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof.

Figure 3 is a View similarv to Figurev 2, indicating the various movements of thev prop leg, in dotted lines.

j trating the mounting ofthe prop leg.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of 'Fig.\4.

Figure 6 isa sectional view illustrating a sig locking element. f

Figure 7 is a sectional View illustrating a sign y of. a mourned fording ample support of the easel as will bey apparent as the description proceeds.

The upper ends of the legs areconnected by a y top panel I2, and intermediate the length of the legs II a lower panel I3 is secured.

Obviously, the easel may be formed from any suitable materiahbut in the present instance, the easel will be described as an easel for support of road signs, and since it will be subjected to exposure of the weather, the device will be constructed from iron straps and sheet metal.

`The top panel I2 has rearwardly directed ears I4 which may be separately formed and secured to the panel or may be formed as integral portions of the panely by stamping operations. The

yfront elevation of the easel, set up.y

Figurel 4 isa fragmentary rear elevation, illus- (Cl. Li0-125) ears I4 `are apertured and the outer peripheral edge of the ears are dished inwardly toward each other, as at I5.l

A bail i5 is providedforrn'ed from a singlepiece of spring steel rod of proper gauge, and as may .be seen in Figure l, is substantially U- shapechthe leg portions I 'i' of which are bent at right angles, in opposite directionsI` to form pivot pinsul. A pin i3 is engaged in respective apertures of the ears it and as clearly shown in ,Figure vfi, the dished portion I5 lies inwardly of the legs il. Thestraight portion I9 of the bail pivotally mounts a yoke 2Q composed of a pair of parallel strap members 2i, the outer ends of. which are bent inwardly toward each other and receive a prop leg 22 therebetween, the strap members being riveted or otherwise secured to the leg' as at 23. Theupper ends of the strap members 2! have a notched end 2li for a purpose presently to be explained.

`The lower panel vi3 has a pair of rearwardlyA struck ears 25 pivotally mounting brace links fill,` thelinks converging inwardly to lie upon vopposite sides of the 'prop leg Ei for pivotal secure` ment thereto, as at 2l.A f

The `upper panel I2 will include means for holding a sign securely in placa'and in the present instance, there is shown a dog 28. The dog hasy an inclined lip 29, inwardly oi lwhich there isv a notch 30 and downwardly extended a tail piece 3|. The tail piece is slidablymounted in a pair of` ears 32, struck outwardly at right angles to the panel. The lower end of the `tail piece yhas secured thereon a washer 33 and between this washer andthe lowermost ear 32, there is a helical spring 34. By this construction it will be seen that the dog will be drawn downwardly in the slot 35 formed in the upper edge of the panel. The dog 28 will occupy a position in the slot with the notch Sli presented downwardly so as lto engage a sign when drawn down by the spring 32. y

The lower panell it will 'include outwardly struck `flanges 36 at respective end portions, the flanges being presented upwardly `in opposition to the lip 29 of. the dog.

Reference is now made to Figure 3 of the drawing,and in order to-set up the easel for support of a sign, it will be necessary to move the prop leg 22 from itscollapsed position shownin solid lines to its final position shown by dotted lines D. The rst movement of the leg 22 is indicated at A, the second position at B; a third position atC, and the final position at D, and it will be noted that these movements are permitted by reason of the pivotal connection of the leg portions I1 of the bail, and that in the final set-up position of the leg the notch 24 receives the lower edge of the panel IZ-therein. The leg 22 is thus disposed at an angle suitable for support of the easel.

It should be noted that the dished portions I5 lie in the path of the legs II and therefore as the bail is swung either to its upper or lower positions, the legsvI'l must be sprung inwardly toward each other kin order to permit the legs ITI to pass, and after such operation the bail I6 will be securely yet releasab-ly held in position to either side of the dished portion of the ears.

In movement of the prop leg to either its crollapsed or set up position, the bail I 6 traverses an arc of approximately 180 degrees, while the braces 26 swing in an arc of approximately 50 degrees.

With the easel set up, and it is desired to see cure a square sign thereon, the sign is positioned so as to align the upper aperture 31 of the sign with the dog 28. The aperture 31 is located in the vertical center of the sign, as seen in Figure l, spaced from the upper edge so as to partly register with the dog 28, and by exerting an upward pressure upon the sign, the dog will be raised against the tension of the spring 32 until the lower edge of the sign clears the upper edge of the channel 33. When the sign is released the sign will be seated in the channel with the dog pressing downwardly upon the upper edge of the sign.

The securement of a diamond-.shaped sign is similar, although in this instance, the sign S' will be positioned so that a pair of edges 38 of the sign engage the channels 36. 'Ihe distance between the channels 36 and dog 28 are so proportioned that the square signs and the diamond signs, which are standard, are'so punched that the top hole of either coincide at the position of the dog 28.

If desired, the channels 36 may be replaced by a single rigid dog 39 so placed as to engage the lower aperture 40 of the sign.

Obviously, a single panel could be employed,

replacing those indicated as I2 and'l I3, which could be fabricated or otherwise. i

construction, this is by wayof illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modications I claim:

l. An easel for support ofsignsandthe likel While I have shown and described a preferredv comprising ay pair of front leg members, upper and lower panels connecting the legs, ears upon the panels, brace links swingably mounted in the ears olf the lower panel, a bail swingably mounted in the ears of the upper Ipanel, `a vprop leg swing-l ably mounted on the bail, said bail being swingable through an arc of approximately 180de-` grees and the upper end of said prop leg having la notched portion for engaging the vlower edge of the upper panel when in erected position.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the ears of the upperv panel include means cooperable with l in either* the bail for relea'sably holding the bail position of its swinging movements;

3. rIlhe structure of claim A1 in which the upper and lowerpanels include means for attach-'- ment of a sign. I

4. An easel for support of signs and the like comprising a pair of front leg members, .upper and lower transverselyv extended panels connecta pair of brace links swingably mounted in the ears of the lower panel, said links converging rearwardly, a prop Aleg interposed between thel ends of brace links and pivotally connected thereto, a bail swingably mounted in the ears of the top panel and connected to the prop leg, said ears sion, each of the extensions having a notched end adapted to engage the lower edge of the upper panel in the set-up position of the easel.

y STEPHEN L. BEARING.

30, ing the legs, ears upon the rear faces of the panels, 

